Roller foot and an electrical apparatus thereof

ABSTRACT

A roller foot, which can be mounted on the bottom of an electrical apparatus, includes a housing, a wheel axle and a wheel. The housing has a top frame, a left frame and a right frame. A right axle hole and a left axle hole are mounted on the inner surface of the right frame and the left frame respectively. The wheel axle is pivotally configured in the left axle hole and the right axle hole. The vertical size of each of the left axle hole and the right axle hole is larger than the wheel axle such that the wheel axle can be moved relative to the center of the left axle hole and the right axle hole. The wheel has a wheel axle hole. The wheel axle is configured in the wheel axle hole.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on, and claims priority from, TaiwanApplication Serial Number 94122619, filed Jul. 4, 2005, the disclosureof which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a foot mounted on an electricalapparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rollerfoot mounted on an electrical apparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

As information technology progresses, highly technological electricalapparatuses have become very apparent in our daily lives. The designsfor those electrical apparatuses not only include the design of thefunctional module of the electrical apparatus but also the design of themechanics and aesthetics of the electrical apparatus.

A modern electrical apparatus, for example, a notebook computer, desktopcomputer, CD player or DVD player, often has at least one slipresistance mounted on the bottom of the electrical apparatus forpreventing the electrical apparatus from slipping such that theelectrical apparatus can be stable on a desk.

The slip resistance is often mounted on the bottom of the electricalapparatus by an adhesive. However, the slip resistances may come off theelectrical apparatus because of the characteristics of the adhesive orbecause the adhesive has gone bad.

Improvements can be done presently by improving the adhesive and bydeepening the recess of the electrical apparatus where the slipresistance is placed. However, improving the adhesive can just lengthenthe life of the slip resistances, not solve the problem forever; andmaking the recess deeper increases the size of the electrical apparatusand thus lessens the competitiveness of the electrical apparatus.

Moreover, the user of the electrical apparatus often needs to lift upthe electrical apparatus when the user wants to move the electricalapparatus because the slip resistance often has a surface with a highstatic friction coefficient. However, if the slip resistance had asurface with a low static friction coefficient, the electrical apparatuswould move so easily that it would become unstable on the desk.

For the forgoing reasons, there is a need for fastening the slipresistance on the electrical apparatus firmly while allowing the user tomove the electrical apparatus easily.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an aspect of the present invention to provide a rollerfoot, which can be mounted on the bottom of the electrical apparatus forsolving the problem that the slip resistance may come off the electricalapparatus.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a roller foot,which can be mounted on the bottom of the electrical apparatus such thatthe user of the electrical apparatus can move the electrical apparatuseasily and the roller foot also can prevent the electrical apparatusfrom slipping.

It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide anelectrical apparatus, which has at least one roller foot mounted on thebottom of the electrical apparatus firmly such that the life of theelectrical apparatus can be lengthened.

It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide anelectrical apparatus which has at least one roller foot mounted on thebottom of the electrical apparatus such that the user of the electricalapparatus can move the electrical apparatus easily and the roller footalso can prevent the electrical apparatus from slipping.

In accordance with the foregoing and other aspects of the presentinvention, a roller foot, which can be mounted on the bottom of anelectrical apparatus, is provided. The roller foot includes a housing, awheel axle and a wheel. The housing has a top frame, a left frame and aright frame. The top frame is positioned on the top of the housing. Theleft frame is positioned on the left of the top frame and extendingdownward. The left frame has a left axle hole on the inner surface ofthe left frame. The right frame is positioned on the right of the topframe and extending downward. The right frame has a right axle hole onthe inner surface of the right frame. The wheel axle is pivotallyconfigured in the left axle hole and the right axle hole. The verticalsize of each of the left axle hole and the right axle hole is largerthan the wheel axle such that the wheel axle can be moved relative tothe center of the left axle hole and the right axle hole. The wheel hasa wheel axle hole. The wheel axle is configured in the wheel axle hole.When the electrical apparatus is set down, the wheel is stopped bycontacting the top frame due to the weight of the electrical apparatusbearing down on it; and when the electrical apparatus is lifted to move,the wheel departs from the top frame and is free to roll.

According to one preferred embodiment of present invention, the leftaxle hole and the right axle hole are elliptic. The major axis of eachof the left axle hole and the right axle hole is along a verticaldirection. However, the left axle hole and the right axle hole also canbe, for example, rectangular, rhomboidal, triangular or circular.Moreover, the shape and the size of the left axle hole and the shape andthe size of the right axle hole are the same in this embodiment. But theshape and the size of the left axle hole and the shape and the size ofthe right axle hole can also be different.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, anelectrical apparatus is provided. The electrical apparatus includes abase and at least one roller foot. The roller foot is mounted on thebottom of the base. The roller foot can switch a moving and slippingresisting function by changing the position of the wheel in relation tothe top frame.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, fourindividual roller feet are mounted on four corners of the bottom of thebase. Furthermore, two bar roller feet can replace the four individualroller feet.

According to still another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, two slip resistances may be mounted on two bottom corners ofthe lower part of the base. A bar roller foot can be mounted on theupper part of the bottom of the base. Similarly, the bar roller foot canbe replaced by two roller feet.

The user of the electrical apparatus needs to set the electricalapparatus on a desk when the user of the electrical apparatus wants theelectrical apparatus to maintain a fixed position. The wheel axle ismoved to the upper end of the left axle hole and the right axle hole atthis time because of the weight of the electrical apparatus forcing thewheel against the top frame, thus providing the slip resisting function.

The user of the electrical apparatus needs to lift a side of theelectrical apparatus when the user of the electrical apparatus wants theelectrical apparatus to move. The wheel axle is moved to the bottom endof the left axle hole and the right axle hole at this time such that thewheel departs from the top frame and rolls, thus providing the movingfunction.

Thus, the roller foot can provide the moving and slipping resistingfunction as the user requires and thus the user can use the electricalapparatus comfortably. Moreover, the electrical apparatus with theroller foot can avoid the problem of the slip resistance unsticking fromthe electrical apparatus because the adhesive has gone bad, and theelectrical apparatus can thus be more competitive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1A is a front sectional drawing of the roller foot according to onepreferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 1B is a side sectional drawing of the roller foot according to onepreferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a solid drawing of the electrical apparatus according to onepreferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a solid drawing of the electrical apparatus according toanother preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 4A is a solid drawing of the electrical apparatus according tostill another preferred embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 4B is a side view of the electrical apparatus according to stillanother preferred embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferredembodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers areused in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or likeparts.

Reference is made to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. FIG. 1A is a front sectionaldrawing of the roller foot according to one preferred embodiment of thisinvention, and FIG. 1B is a side sectional drawing of the roller footaccording to one preferred embodiment of this invention. A roller foot100 is provided, which can be mounted on the bottom of an electricalapparatus. The roller foot 100 includes a housing 110, a wheel axle 140and a wheel 150. The housing 110 has a top frame 111, a left frame 113and a right frame 112. The top frame 111 is positioned on the top of thehousing 110. The left frame 113 is positioned on the left of the topframe 111 and extends downward. The left frame 113 has a left axle hole130 on the inner surface of the left frame 113. The right frame 112 ispositioned on the right of the top frame 111 and extends downward. Theright frame 112 has a right axle hole 120 on the inner surface of theright frame.

The wheel axle 140 is pivotally configured in the left axle hole 130 andthe right axle hole 120. The vertical size of each of the left axle hole130 and the right axle hole 120 is larger than the wheel axle 140 suchthat the wheel axle 140 can be moved relative to the center of the leftaxle hole 130 and the right axle hole 120. In other words, the wheel canbe moved between the upper end 121/131 and the bottom end 122/132 of theleft axle hole 130 and the right axle hole 120.

The wheel 150 has a wheel axle hole 151 along the major axis of thewheel. The wheel axle 140 is configured in the wheel axle hole 151. Thewheel 150 can be made of plastic, metal, foam or the combinationthereof. The surface of the wheel 150 may have grooves for providing thewheel a preferred slip resisting ability.

The user of an electrical apparatus with the roller foot of the presentinvention needs to put the electrical apparatus on a desk when the userof the electrical apparatus wants the electrical apparatus to be fixedin position. The wheel axle 140 is moved to the upper end 121/131 of theleft axle hole 130 and the right axle hole 120 at this time because ofthe weight of the electrical apparatus forcing the wheel 150 to pressagainst the top frame 111, providing a slip resisting function.

The user of the electrical apparatus needs to lift a side of theelectrical apparatus when the user of the electrical apparatus wants theelectrical apparatus to move. The wheel axle 140 is moved to the bottomend 122/132 of the left axle hole 130 and the right axle hole 120 atthis time such that the wheel 150 departs from the top frame 111 androlls, providing a moving function.

Reference is made to FIG. 2, which is a solid drawing of the electricalapparatus according to one preferred embodiment of this invention. Anelectrical apparatus including a base and at least one roller foot isprovided in this preferred embodiment. Two slip resistances 230 may bemounted on two bottom corners of the lower part 212 of the base 210. Tworoller feet 220 can be mounted on the bottom corners of the upper part211 of the base 210. The lower part 212 is a part nearest the user ofthe electrical apparatus.

Reference is made to FIG. 3, which is a solid drawing of the electricalapparatus according to another preferred embodiment of this invention.In this embodiment, a bar roller foot 320 can replace the two rollerfeet (220 in FIG. 2). The bar roller foot 320 is mounted on the bottomof the upper part 311 of the base 310. Two slip resistances 330 may bemounted on two bottom corners of the lower part 312 of the base 310. Thelower part 312 is a part nearest the user of the electrical apparatus.

Reference is made to FIG. 4A, which is a solid drawing of the electricalapparatus according to still another preferred embodiment of thisinvention. In this embodiment, an electrical apparatus includes a base,at least one roller foot, at least one slip resistance and at least onepad.

In FIG. 4A, a base 410 has two slip resistances 420 mounted on the twocorners of the lower part 412 of the base 410. Each of the slipresistances 420 has a surface with a high static friction coefficientfor preventing the electrical apparatus from slipping. In other words,the static friction coefficient of the surface of each of the slipresistances 420 is larger than that of the surface of the base 410.

The base 410 also has a bar roller foot 430 mounted on the bottom of theupper part 411 of the base 410. Similarly, two roller feet can replacethe bar roller foot 430.

Reference is made to FIG. 4B, which is a side view of the electricalapparatus according to still another preferred embodiment of thisinvention. The base 410 has two separate pads 440 mounted on the bottomof the upper part 411 of the base 410 for preventing the base fromrubbing on a desk 450. Each of the pads 440 has a surface with a lowfriction coefficient and preferably a semispherical structure. In otherwords, the friction coefficient of each of the pads is smaller than thatof the surface of the base 410.

Similarly, the user of the electrical apparatus needs to lift the lowerpart 412 of the base 410 from the desk 450 when the user of theelectrical apparatus wants the electrical apparatus to move. The wheelaxle of the roller foot is moved to the bottom end of the left axle holeand the right axle hole at this time such that the wheel departs fromthe top frame and rolls, providing a moving function.

In conclusion, the invention has advantages as follows:

(1) The electrical apparatus with the roller foot can avoid the problemof the slip resistance unsticking from the electrical apparatus becausethe adhesive has gone bad, and the electrical apparatus can thus be morecompetitive.

(2) The user of the present invention can move the electrical apparatuseasily because the roller foot has the wheel.

(3) The roller foot can provide the moving and slipping resistingfunctions as the user requires and thus the user can use the electricalapparatus comfortably.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure of the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present inventioncover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fallwithin the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

1. A roller foot mounted on an electrical apparatus, the roller footcomprising: a housing mounted on the bottom of the electrical apparatus,the housing comprising: a left axle hole mounted on the inner surface ofthe left side wall of the housing; and a right axle hole mounted on theinner surface of the right side wall of the housing; a wheel axlepivotally configured in the left axle hole and the right axle holewherein the vertical size of each of the left axle hole and the rightaxle hole is larger than the wheel axle such that the wheel axle ismoved relative to the center of the left axle and the right axle; and awheel having a wheel axle hole wherein the wheel axle is configured inthe wheel axle hole whereby the wheel is stopped by the top side wall ofthe housing because of the weight of the electrical apparatus when theelectrical apparatus is stationary, and the wheel departs from the topside wall and rolls because a side of the electrical apparatus is liftedwhen the apparatus is moved.
 2. The roller foot of claim 1, wherein theleft axle hole and the right axle hole are elliptic and the major axisof each of the left axle hole and the right axle hole is along avertical direction.
 3. The roller foot of claim 1, wherein the left axlehole and the right axle hole are rectangular.
 4. The roller foot ofclaim 1, wherein the left axle hole and the right axle hole arerhomboidal.
 5. The roller foot of claim 1, wherein the left axle holeand the right axle hole are triangular.
 6. The roller foot of claim 1,wherein the left axle hole and the right axle hole are circular.
 7. Theroller foot of claim 1, wherein the shape of the left axle hole and theshape of the right axle hole are the same.
 8. The roller foot of claim1, wherein the size of the left axle hole and the size of the right axlehole are the same.
 9. An electrical apparatus comprising: a base; and atleast one roller foot mounted on the bottom of the base, the roller footcomprising: a housing mounted on the bottom of the base, the housingcomprising: a top frame positioned on the top of the housing; a leftframe positioned on the left of the top frame and extending downwardwherein the left frame has a left axle hole on the inner surface of theleft frame; and a right frame positioned on the right of the top frameand extending downward wherein the right frame has a right axle hole onthe inner surface of the right frame; a wheel axle pivotally configuredin the left axle hole and the right axle hole wherein the vertical sizeof each of the left axle hole and the right axle hole is larger than thewheel axle such that the wheel axle is moved relative to the center ofthe left axle hole and the right axle hole; and a wheel having a wheelaxle hole wherein the wheel axle is configured in the wheel axle holewhereby the wheel is stopped by the top frame because of the weight ofthe electrical apparatus when the electrical apparatus is stationary,and the wheel departs from the top frame and rolls because a side of theapparatus is lifted when the electrical apparatus is moved.
 10. Theelectrical apparatus of claim 9, wherein the left axle hole and theright axle hole are elliptic and the major axis of each of the left axlehole and the right axle hole are along a vertical direction.
 11. Theelectrical apparatus of claim 9, wherein the left axle hole and theright axle hole are rectangular.
 12. The electrical apparatus of claim9, wherein the left axle hole and the right axle hole are rhomboidal.13. The electrical apparatus of claim 9, wherein the left axle hole andthe right axle hole are triangular.
 14. The electrical apparatus ofclaim 9, wherein the left axle hole and the right axle hole arecircular.
 15. The electrical apparatus of claim 9, wherein the shape ofthe left axle hole and the shape of the right axle hole are the same.16. The electrical apparatus of claim 9, wherein the size of the leftaxle hole and the size of the right axle hole are the same.
 17. Theelectrical apparatus of claim 9, further comprising at least one slipresistance mounted on the bottom of the base for preventing theelectrical apparatus from slipping.
 18. The electrical apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the slip resistance has a surface with a high staticfriction coefficient.
 19. The electrical apparatus of claim 9, furthercomprising at least one pad mounted on the bottom of the base to preventthe electrical apparatus from damage.
 20. The electrical apparatus ofclaim 19, wherein the pad has a surface with a low friction coefficient.